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You could feel original if you'd admit that you've always known
you won't.
Or you could try misogyny for size beneath a calf that you mold
of pure gold.

I say too bad for you,
but it's worse for myself.
We feel too bad for you,
but it's worse for ourselves.

You could waste the time it takes to feel around in dark little holes
although
You could do the very same and claim that you're researching a role
all along.

I say too bad for you,
but it's worse for myself.
We feel too bad for you,
but still worse for ourselves.

I know you don't know my name
but don't I feel the same?
I know you know I know you hear what they say,
But they don't appear to me to feel anything.

So I'll be filled with jealousy when I see all the faces aglow
in a row.
All the while, bellowing a melody that they'll never know you stole.

Track Name: Holes in Our Throats

I saw you peeking through the bushes at me
and when you thought I could see
I saw you leave

I found the lock undone on my diary
But then thought fortunately
I knew you'd see.

Cause we're a long way from home.
We are 300 million people afloat.
We got holes in our throats
from screaming in each other's ears but we're speaking in code
That no one knows.

I saw you speed away in black SUV
and then stood there wondering
how much you'd seen.

The kids are setting fire to the streets.
and all we read we don't know who to believe.

Cause we're a long way from those.
We are 300 million people afloat.
We got holes in our throats
from screaming each other's ears but we're speaking in code
That no one knows.

(I saw you peeking through the bushes at me.
The kids are setting fire to the streets.
And you were speaking like the devil through me
While we were hand in hand and glued to the screen.
And we were screaming only just out of reach
While they were singing only just out of key.
Yeah we're believing everything that we read,
But we're not reading anything that we see.)

Track Name: Bloody Teeth

In slow motion, adorned in fall of last year's fashion, I forget the names of those I loved. She's wide open but I feel no one though I still reach ever deeper inside. With bloody teeth, I'm a submarine in the night. A fearful feast for a modest beast in his right. Just lie down. Bashfully, I'll clear the flesh from your bones. Stay down. Embarrassed, I'll steal the insides of your skull. With eyes open and dried without the slightest motion, I forget the things I swear I've read. She won't open, 'cause she sees no one and I'm still reaching further back in time. With tired feet I'm a submarine in the light - with fears at least for the modesty I fight.

Track Name: Whiskey Summer

Been drinking all day and I've got some great ideas. Soaking in sweat, strangers and strange new deals. Each and every day and all along the way, we got a drink in each hand and a blurry view of the plan. I know you like a heavy pour, just like your father did before, but your heavy pour's got you on the floor and dead weight weighs much more. Was thinking today that I wasn't raised no fool, but soaking in sweat, I awake next to God knows who. Despite all our claims it's every single day. We make pretend and we play and we call it all "acting our age." God bless the Whiskey Summer - each sweaty day we'd laugh away. God bless the memories erased and all the bills we can't pay. God bless the willing suitor - the haze of mistakes that we would make. We know the rules and we've heard the truth but bless the absence of the two.

Track Name: Bathroom Stalls

Oh sons and daughters, how peacefully you sleep while we're working harder to build the morning's emergencies. But rest your head now. We won't make a peep. Oh sons and daughters, how gleefully you weep while we're working smarter to sell you back your dreams. We've learned just how. So when you look you'll see rebellion not conceit. As if you'll ever be more than what we deem. Oh sons and daughters, you numb humanitarians, your coffee cup fortunes forfeit to fill the bellies of Africans. But we're so convincing! So when you look you'll see compassion not deceit. As if you'll ever be more than what we deem. Firewalls, and here you thought we trusted you. Bathroom stalls, and otherwise we're watching you. Oh sons and daughters, how fearfully you sleep. Like when it gets darker, we're peering back from behind the screens. Just carry on calm now, 'cause when you look you'll see ticker tape on the street. As if you'll ever be more than what we deem.

Track Name: Beast White

I walk the bows that Satan sews and he teaches me to frown. But I run the show, at least that's what I'm told. It's all for the one that's one foot tall if he breathes with heavy doubt. He won't be consoled, if there's one thing that he knows. But if everyone goes, he'll go. Yeah if everyone goes, I'll go. I dance along a tightrope, all with a song and evening gown for each of the evil beast's white teeth to show. 'Cause when everyone shows I'll know, as the younger ones all grow old and the undertow steals my soul and my secrets all read like jokes cause my evils were all exposed. Just then, the children's fears came true and their little white feet would run, but each of the children's feet were glued and their little white faces, stunned. (Eat another either way 'cause either way it feels the same. Feed the fears or feast away 'cause either feeds the beast and me.) I tie the bows that Satan sews tighter each and every night. 'Cause I run the show, but still do what I'm told. And I've sprouted horns of my own but they just about match your growth. Yeah they look a great deal like yours. Back when the children's fears were new and their mommies would watch them run, each had a pride in common, too, and the easy way always won. That's when the beast would leash them, too. But they'd blame him for what they'd done. Cause each let their pride extend their youth and their little white lies had won. Me and the beast have an understanding.

Track Name: Not Sally

She's the way I wish all of them would be, but she don't feel that way. No not that way about me. I tried to say all the words I heard they like me to say, but she's acting like she's heard some better things. She's looking like she's seen some better things. Still, she's the way I wish all of them would be, and my cartoon heart is bleeding where it beats. I rearrange all the worst of my ways and put words in the way, but she's acting like she's seen some better fakes. So I go from overworked and underpaid to begging young ladies to pay my way. She's the way I think death feels in daydreams, and in her face the days my fears made me waste. I lay awake with the worst of my works in the heat of the day and I'm acting like it's all I've got to say. I'm acting just like it ever goes away. I'm acting just like you care either way. I'm acting like I'll ever even change. She's the way I wish all of them would be, but she don't feel that way. No not that way about me.

Track Name: Cancer Dance

I saw you breathing me in. I watched you fall to the ground. As you were choking you'd pretend you weren't in love with the sound. So you would beg for the air and so would gather a crowd. And they would dance and sing along as proudly you wept aloud. And we would stay for the show. With your face aglow, complete with tassels and bows like we've always known. I felt you drinking me in. The room was spinning around. As if to only show the others just how willing you'd drown. Then you would break your way in. The glass would shower me now. But we would sleep there with our bloody bodies sewn to the sound. Before you cry anymore, we were warned. We've always known these things would kill us. I know you'd rather be wrong than ignored. We've always known these things would kill us. I see it turning you on even though we've always known these things will kill us. Let's squeeze each other 'til our heads explode. We've always known. We'd hesitate to begin, feet firmly planted in doubt. My father's finger wagging firmly, even deep in the ground. But now we laugh our way in, our plots adjacent. So we order a round before we bury ourselves in soil.

Track Name: The Wrath of God

If you could ever see a face. If you should ever hear a name. Both of hers a dirty shame. However beautiful, a shame. And I'd feed her all she eats. I'd take her on a walk. I'd walk her like a dog. My cries to God, her leash. I'd watch her closer every day. Pretend the others all would wait. 'Cause I've got work to do. They'll say, "Oh Charles! The marvelous new change! And I'd keep her safely chained below where no one sees. And I'd beat her like a dog. On her cries to God I'd feast. And I'd wallow in defeat. Take pleasure woefully. Our screams were like a song and the wrath of God, the beat. The truth: I'd never seen her face. As if I'd dare repeat her name. But you all hear the tale the same and you all look the other way. So my fears still warm my sheets as I read of streets she walks. And I'm careful not to leave, 'cause I love her desperately.

Track Name: Brothels

Been in and out and into 30 brothels. And in and out of conversations awful with every girl I see inside who swears that she's there meeting with her book club. So I take a drink and shrug it off and grin. Try to keep from spilling every sip on every girl I see inside. I line each up to cleanse me of my sins. But I scratch my chin and wonder why they even let me in. Still, each chair spins. I'm off to meet another twice as thin. For my mortal sins, nothing but congratulation. Oh Charlie Charlatan, don't forget the trouble that you're in. 'Cause while you're here swimming, your friends are building houses on dry land. So I take a knee and beg for every wish. And wish pretending wasn't part of it. But every girl I see inside is off to read another twice as thick. So I scratch my chin and wonder if they'll ever let me in. Still, I fill your head with hedonist banality instead. 'Cause I loved each sin more than I loved the better man I'd been.